The United States has expressed its appreciation for the efforts of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in strengthening nuclear and radiation safety measures. This statement was delivered by Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim, Howard Solomon during the IAEA Board of Governors meeting on March 3, 2025, in Vienna, Austria.
The U.S. acknowledged the achievements of the IAEA's activities in 2024, which focused on enhancing nuclear and radiation transportation safety, waste management safety, and emergency preparedness. The priorities and activities outlined for 2025 were noted with interest.
Howard Solomon commended Liberia for joining both the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident in December. He mentioned anticipation for the upcoming Eighth Review Meeting concerning spent fuel management and radioactive waste management.
The U.S. emphasized support for initiatives to help Member States improve safety standards, advance radiation medicine programs, and develop infrastructure supported by strong regulatory frameworks. Additionally, it highlighted ongoing monitoring by IAEA regarding Japan's handling of Fukushima Daiichi’s treated water as providing reliable assessments that meet international safety standards.
Concerns were raised about an incident on February 14 involving a UAV at Ukraine's Chornobyl nuclear power plant that damaged critical infrastructure. The U.S. underscored the importance of IAEA’s presence in ensuring reliable reporting from Ukrainian facilities.
Innovative technologies such as modular reactors were discussed with recognition given to progress made through IAEA initiatives like the Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative regulatory track. There was also a call to address potential impacts of artificial intelligence within nuclear plants.
Finally, peer review missions conducted by IAEA received positive feedback from Howard Solomon who mentioned hosting one such mission focusing on small modular reactor design NuScale US460 in December 2024 while looking forward to another at Salem Nuclear Power Plant.
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